New ID in the Cards for Texas Police Officers

Last week, police in Amarillo, Texas arrested a 20-year-old who had been impersonating an officer from a nonexistent county. It’s not the first time someone has played make-believe in order to gain false authority, which is why a new House Bill requires all law-enforcement agencies to introduce new ID cards for their officers. They’ll also be required to create a 24-hour hotline for residents to verify the validity of the card. While the new regulations won’t take effect until Sept. 1, the Amarillo Police Department is already building up its new officer ID program.

Amarillo’s improved police ID cards will include holographic images, as well as bar codes, making them far more professional and difficult to duplicate that the department’s current cards. A 24-hour phone line will also be in place for ID confirmation. When an officer pulls someone over or confronts an individual, the resident can ask to confirm the officer’s credentials. He or she can then challenge the information by calling the 24-hour hotline which goes directly to police dispatchers.